Roberta Blackman-Woods was the Labour Member of Parliament for City of Durham from 2005 to 2019. 

She has previously served as Shadow Minister for Business, Innovation and Skills covering regional policy and economic development, Shadow Minister for Civil Society in the Cabinet Office team, PPS to the Higher Education Minister, and PPS to the Secretary of State for Defence and PPS to the Duchy of Lancaster and Cabinet Office Minister. 

She is a former member of the Education and Skills Select Committee, the Innovation, Universities, Science and Skills Select Committee and the Science and Technology Select Committee.

Dr Blackman Woods has a BSc in social science and a PhD from Ulster University. Prior to her time as an MP she was Professor of Social Policy and an Associate Dean in the School of Arts and Social Sciences at the University of Northumbria.